Former funeral home owner pleads guilty

Published: Wednesday, December 18, 2013 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, December 17, 2013 at 7:52 p.m.

A former funeral home owner was sentenced to probation Tuesday after pleading guilty to 20 felony counts for obtaining property by false pretenses and writing worthless checks to keep his business alive.

Richard Jarrett Mosley, 54, of Hendersonville pleaded guilty to 18 felonies of obtaining property by false pretenses and two felonies for worthless checks.

He was sentenced to serve eight to 19 months for each count — a total of two years and eight months to six years and four months — but the sentence was suspended for three years of probation, allowing Mosley time to pay restitution.

Assistant District Attorney Doug Pearson said Mosley faces in excess of $18,000 in restitution charges, which if remain unpaid will be a violation of his probation. If progress is shown, Mosley may be given up to five years to make restitution.

Mosley, who owned South Park Funeral and Cremation Services in Hendersonville, originally faced 22 felony counts ranging from obtaining property by false pretenses to forgery.

Investigators claim Mosley defrauded businesses, employees and customers by writing checks on closed accounts, soliciting services that went unpaid, misplacing bodies and substituting the ashes of loved ones. He was also cited for arranging funeral services without having an active license.

State investigators with the N.C. Board of Funeral Service said Mosley's business either failed to return or failed to document the return of the cremated remains of at least 26 people. Pre-payments for burials were also found to be misappropriated. The board has ordered Mosley to remain unlicensed as a funeral director in the state.

The District Attorney's Office is encouraging any citizen who feels they may have been victim of fraud in dealing with the former South Park Funeral Home to contact Hendersonville Police Detective Heather Cash at 828-697-3048.

“Many members of the business community have been very cooperative” in the investigation and prosecution of this case, said District Attorney Greg Newman. “I'm happy to bring that case to a conclusion.”

<p>A former funeral home owner was sentenced to probation Tuesday after pleading guilty to 20 felony counts for obtaining property by false pretenses and writing worthless checks to keep his business alive.</p><p>Richard Jarrett Mosley, 54, of Hendersonville pleaded guilty to 18 felonies of obtaining property by false pretenses and two felonies for worthless checks. </p><p>He was sentenced to serve eight to 19 months for each count — a total of two years and eight months to six years and four months — but the sentence was suspended for three years of probation, allowing Mosley time to pay restitution. </p><p>Assistant District Attorney Doug Pearson said Mosley faces in excess of $18,000 in restitution charges, which if remain unpaid will be a violation of his probation. If progress is shown, Mosley may be given up to five years to make restitution.</p><p>Mosley, who owned South Park Funeral and Cremation Services in Hendersonville, originally faced 22 felony counts ranging from obtaining property by false pretenses to forgery.</p><p>Investigators claim Mosley defrauded businesses, employees and customers by writing checks on closed accounts, soliciting services that went unpaid, misplacing bodies and substituting the ashes of loved ones. He was also cited for arranging funeral services without having an active license.</p><p>State investigators with the N.C. Board of Funeral Service said Mosley's business either failed to return or failed to document the return of the cremated remains of at least 26 people. Pre-payments for burials were also found to be misappropriated. The board has ordered Mosley to remain unlicensed as a funeral director in the state.</p><p>The District Attorney's Office is encouraging any citizen who feels they may have been victim of fraud in dealing with the former South Park Funeral Home to contact Hendersonville Police Detective Heather Cash at 828-697-3048.</p><p>“Many members of the business community have been very cooperative” in the investigation and prosecution of this case, said District Attorney Greg Newman. “I'm happy to bring that case to a conclusion.”</p><p>Reach Weaver at emily.weaver@blueridgenow.com or 8285-694-7867.</p>